FUMIGATOR. 413 



A safe plan for uniting bees, is to feed the differ- 

 ent swarms with all the food they will take, for at 

 least one day ; then select the queen to be given to 

 them (all others are to be destroyed) and confine her 

 in a cage. The bees to be united are then brushed 

 or shaken on a sheet or table in a promiscuous mass ; 

 the hive intended to receive them being provided 

 with comb and suitable stores, they are allowed to 

 enter the same as an ordinary swarm. The impris- 

 oned queen is to be placed in a position so that the 

 bees are sure to cluster around her, and after being 

 confined for about ten hours, to be set at liberty. 



If the bees to be united have occupied the same 

 apiary, it is necessary to either keep them confined 

 for four or five days ; or, what is better, remove them 

 after being united to the distance of about one mile, 

 which will prevent them returning to the familiar 

 spot. 



A very good way to unite bees would be to confine 

 one part in a box, having one side of wire cloth, and 

 place it in the hive with the ones to which they are 

 to be united, on the same principle that queens are 

 supplied. 



FUMIGATOR. 



Plate XLVII, fig. 79, represents a machine for 

 producing and using smoke to conquer bees with, in 

 an easy and efficient manner, and also to guard 

 against the danger of fire. 



a is a common hand bellows, to which is attached 



